Democrats exhibit a change of heart?

Perhaps with a bit of egg on their faces because of what U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin did last week, his fellow Democrats in the Senate have altered their tactics regarding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

They will stop shunning Kavanaugh, as they have done quite literally, top Senate Democrats reportedly have agreed. They will actually talk with him.

It has been nearly a month since President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh. During that time, Democrat leaders have said they want nothing to do with him.

Except for Manchin, D-W.Va. Last week, he sat down with Kavanaugh for about two hours, discussing a wide range of matters. Manchin even threw in a few questions suggested by his constituents.

Make no mistake about it, however: Manchin remains undecided about whether to vote to confirm Kavanaugh.

But his demonstration he is keeping an open mind about the nominee – not rejecting him, as some Democrats have, solely because he was nominated by Trump – broke ranks with his party’s policymakers.

Manchin’s willingness to talk with Kavanaugh served to remind Americans the Mountain State senator is the only one of his party to adopt the attitude of giving the nominee reasonable consideration.

So, within a few days of the Manchin-Kavanaugh meeting, it was revealed other Senate Democrats will follow suit. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the minority leader, will be among them.

Does that mean Schumer and company are open to having their minds changed about Kavanaugh? Probably not. Expect the vast majority of Democrats in the Senate to vote against him.

Unlike Manchin – and perhaps a handful of other Senate Democrats – the party’s leadership wants nothing to do with a potential Supreme Court justice unwilling to read from the liberal script.